Positive indexing mechanism



y 28, 68 A. BARDEN 3,385,137

POSITIVE INDE'XING MECHANISM Filed July 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INI/ENTOR A. BARDEN ATTORNEY May 28, 1968 A. BARDEN 3,385,137

POSITIVE INDEXING MECHANISM Filed July 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

INVENTOR A. BARDE/V BY ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,385,137 POSITIVE INDEXING MECHANISM Allan Barden, 16 Katherine Drive, Lake Hiawatha, NJ. 07034 Filed July 20, 1966, Ser. No. 566,530 9 Claims. (Cl. 74-822) This invention relates generally to mechanisms for serially indexing a turntable, as, for example, for manufacturing or processing parts, in station to station movement. Such drives, heretofore used for attaining station to station movement, are objectionable in that the lost motion interval arrangement in such (for example, Geneva) devices, result in inaccuracies of timing and duration cycles of movement and, since such cycles involve short periods of time, inaccuracies in timing are highly undesirable and cause non-uniformity and damage to the goods being processed on the turntable or machine.

Pursuant to the invention, the foregoing and other disadvantages of devices of the prior art are overcome and obviated by a novel indexing mechanism assuring precise and accurate registration, locking and timing during precisely the desired alternate work and rotation cycles, accurate initiation and termination of the cycles for precisely the desired time intervals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having means for accurately alternately locking and advancing the wheel, without lost motion, in controlled, positive indexing sequence, and in precisely the desired predetermined time relationship to the requirements of the work to be performed.

The invention provides a simple and highly efficient mechanism for the purpose, adaptable to be readily coupled to and disconnected from, any mechanism to be indexed intermittently or for predetermined time cycles.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a positive indexing mechanism embodying the invention, shown in its locking position,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof, showing the position of the parts just before initiation of the lock release and wheel advance cycle,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken at line 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, corresponding with FIG. 2, showing the parts in initiation of the wheel advance cycle, the wheel being released, and

FIG. 5 is a partly fragmentary, side elevational view, taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

As shown in the drawings (FIG. 1) pursuant to the invention, a driven wheel is provided, mounted as at 11 (FIG. 5) for free rotation on a suitable bearing. Wheel 10 has a plurality of circumferential, inwardly directed slots 12, 'which may be formed equidistantly or intermittently spaced in view of the work requirements involved.

The working or holding stations of the mechanism, such as a turntable or other device, in connection with which the invention may be used, may be secured thereto by suitable means such as the hollow driven shaft 13 (FIG. 1) extending upwardly of the driven wheel 10. Circumferential slots 12 are provided to be engaged by the lock arm 14, which may be pivotally mounted as at 15 intermediate its ends on a suitable support spaced from wheel 10. A locking roller 16 is rotatably mounted 3,385,137 Patented May 28, 1968 at one end of arm 14 and an arm operating roller 17 is mounted at the other end thereof; the parts are so pro portioned that the locking roller 16 engages slot 12 and locks the wheel 10 in accurate registry, against movement, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 1. Driver 18 is keyed to shaft 19 in spaced relation to wheel 10 and lock arm 14 (FIGS. 2, 5). Shaft 19 is constantly rotated to impart rotation to driver 18 (arrow 20, FIG. 1). Driver 18 is provided with an outer circumferential edge portion 21, the parts being so proportioned that the arm 14 will be held in its FIG. 1 locking position during engagement of the arm operating roller 17 with the outer circumferential edge portion 21 of the driver 18. A cam finger 22 on the driver 18 is provided, extending outwardly of the circumferential edge portion 21 thereof, for engagement with the drive pins 23 on the wheel 10. The locking slots 12 and drive pins 23 are preferably alternately arranged on wheel 10 so that cam finger 22 of the driver 18 will alternately engage a drive pin 23 and rotate the wheel 10, the wheel being locked intermediate the cycles of rotation of the wheel 10 by driver 18 as above noted. To that end, driver 18 is provided with a cam portion 24 formed inwardly of the outer circumferential edge 21 thereof, so that, as cam finger 22 engages the drive pin 23, to rotate the drive wheel 10, the arm operating roller 17 will engage the inwardly disposed cam portion 24 of driver 18 and thus the lock arm will be rotated, withdrawing the locking roller 16 from the slot 12 during such time. Suitable means, such as spring 25, may engage the arm 14 as at 26 at one end, and may be secured to a suitable fixed point 27 at the opposite end, to urge the arm operating roller 17 to selective positive engagement with the outer circumferential edge portion 21 and the cam portion 24 thereof.

The drive pins 23, locking roller 16, and arm operating roller 17 may have an anti-friction construction, as for example, by providing ring portions 28 therein (FIG. 3), mounted on a bronze or other liner 29 mounted on hub portion thereof; rollers 16, 17 may likewise be formed of anti-friction construction.

While the foregoing disclosure of exemplary embodiments is made in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, the inventive scope being defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel having a plurality of circumferential, inwardly directed slots and having a plurality of drive pins thereon, conforming to the stations of rotation to be imparted to the wheel, said indexing mechanism comprising an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the wheel, an arm operating roll on said arm and a locking roll also disposed on said arm, in spaced relation to said arm operating roll, being adapted for locking engagement with a wheel slot on movement of the arm in one direction, a driver for intermittent engagement with a drive pin for rotating the wheel from station to station on rotation of the driver, and for alternate engagement of the driver with the arm operating roller, to dispose the rocking roll in the wheel slot, locking the wheel.

2. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, means engaging the arm, urging the latter into such engagement with said driver.

3. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 2, said means so engaging the arm comprising spring means.

4. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, said driver being continuously so rotated.

5. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, a cam finger on said driver to so engage the drive pin on rotation of the driver.

6. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 5, said cam finger projecting from the driver.

7. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, a cam portion formed on said arm so that, on engagement of said operating roller of the arm with said cam portion, said arm will be moved, to move the locking roll out of the locking slot of the Wheel, and the driver finger will engage the drive pin, to rotate the wheel.

8. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, said cam finger projecting from-the driver beyond the circumferential portion thereof, and a cam portion formed in said drive arm so that, on engagement of said operating roller of the arm with said cam portion, 20

the said arm will be moved to move the locking roller out of the locking slot of the wheel and the driver finger will engage the drive pin, to rotate the wheel one station.

9. In a positive indexing mechanism for use in connection with a rotatably mounted driven wheel as set forth in claim 1, a hollow driven shaft on said wheel for mounting a work carrying member thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,021,030 11/1935 Swahnberg 74-820 2,588,977 3/1952 Gartner et a1 74822 X 2,817,241 12/1957 Chandler 74-522 2,911,079 11/1959 Huck et a1 74820 X 3,043,157 7/1962 Wollar 74-827 X 3,141,356 7/1964 Herbkersrnan 74-813 X 3,225,628 12/1965 Anthon 74822 3,226,999 1/ 1966 Allison 748l3 X 3,283,782 11/1966 Hague et a1. 74820 X FOREIGN PATENTS 194,630 1/1958 Austria.

FRED C. MA'ITERN, IR., Primary Examiner.

J. S. CORNETIE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POSITIVE INDEXING MECHANISM FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A ROTATABLY MOUNTED DRIVEN WHEEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIAL, INWARDLY DIRECTED SLOTS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF DRIVE PINS THEREON, CONFORMING TO THE STATIONS OF ROTATION TO BE IMPARTED TO THE WHEEL, SAID INDEXING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE WHEEL, AN ARM OPERATING ROLL ON SAID ARM AND A LOCKING ROLL ALSO DISPOSED ON SAID ARM, IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID ARM OPERATING ROLL, BEING ADAPTED FOR LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH A WHEEL SLOT ON MOVEMENT OF THE ARM IN ONE DIRECTION, A DRIVER FOR INTERMITTENT ENGAGEMENT WITH A DRIVE PIN FOR ROTATING THE WHEEL FROM STATION TO STATION ON ROTATION OF THE DRIVER, AND FOR ALTERNATE ENGAGEMENT OF THE DRIVER WITH THE ARM OPERATING ROLLER, TO DISPOSE THE ROCKING ROLL IN THE WHEEL SLOT, LOCKING THE WHEEL.
 8. IN A POSITIVE INDEXING MECHANISM FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A ROTATABLY MOUNTED DRIVEN WHEEL AS SET FORTH IN CLAIM 1, SAID CAM FINGER PROJECTING FROM THE DRIVER BEYOND THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTION THEREOF, AND A CAM PORTION FORMED IN SAID DRIVE ARM SO THAT, ON ENGAGEMENT OF SAID OPERATING ROLLER OF THE ARM WITH SAID CAM PORTION, 